Tag Archives: Pettitte

For the second time this month, the Yanks had to spend overnight at an airport. Last night, after taking off, it was discovered that there was a malfunction, the plane had to return to Dallas and the Yanks once again had to wait hours at the airport before leaving. This happened last week in Washington, now again. Luckily both occurrences were before off-days, but the Yanks came out flat in KC after it happened. What about tomorrow vs. the Angels? At least tomorrow (Friday) the ace, Severino, is pitching.

Some interesting tidbits about Old-Timer’s Day this year. Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi will be there. Jim Leyritz is pissed because he didn’t get an invite.

Boston lost, so the lead Boston has over the Yanks is down to one. Boston is 34-16, the Yanks 31-15. So the Yanks are actually one up in the loss column, having played four less games. So if the Yanks, in those four extra games they have, go 3-1, they would be even with Boston.

He was not there long. Ryan Bollinger, brought up yesterday, was immediately sent back down. Reason? Tommy Kahnle is expected to be reactivated tomorrow.

Now for Saturday, it gets interesting, because Greg Bird is expected back on Saturday. But who does he replace? Tyler Austin? In 28 games, 101 at bats, Austin is hitting only .238, but has 8 HR, 23 RBI and has an OPS+ of 118, 18% above league average. The walk/k ratio isn’t good at 7/41, and the average isn’t hot, but it would be a tough send-down for someone with an 118 OPS+, 8 HR and 23 RBI.

Edgar Martinez: 70.4%, 20 votes short. Next year will be his last year on the ballot. That may push him over the top.

Mike Mussina 63.5%. Gaining. Should get in soon, if not 2019 with Rivera, maybe 2020 with Jeter.

Roger Clemens 57.3%

Barry Bonds 56.4% Both Clemens and Bonds hurt by the steroid allegations.

Curt Schilling 51.2% Hurt by his political stances.

Not getting 5% and falling off the ballot are Johnny Damon & Hideki Matsui.

Some coming on the ballot next year include (I won’t list their stats now, with one exception)

Mariano Rivera (a sure lock, I’d like to know NOW the idiots who WON’T vote for him),

Andy Pettitte (borderline, the HGH revelations will hurt him),

Todd Helton (as with Larry Walker, people will look at him as though his stats were inflated by Colorado, but a .316 hitter, OPS+ 133. Over 2500 hits, 3x top 10 MVP, 369 HR. 5x All Star, 3 GG, but faded too early. 1998-2005 average .338-33-113; but after age 31 .289-12-61. Personally, I feel he needed 4 more years of that 1998-2005 excellence, and why did he suddenly lose his power at age 31?)

Roy Halladay. Sympathy vote? Unfortunate plane crash, but why was traces of Ambien, morphine and amphetamines in his system? Retired at 36, back pain, can see the painkillers, but for goodness sakes, don’t fly a plane when you are on the meds.

I have a lot to say about this game, which the Yankees lost 2-1 to drop them to 11-7.

First off, in only 3 major league starts, I am impressed with Jordan Montgomery, who has a 3.78 ERA after 3 starts. That is good for the rookie. Keep it up. I see a lot of Andy Pettitte-like qualities in him.

In the first inning, he had the bases loaded and no one out and minimized the damage. Just one run.

He went 6 IP, 2 R without his best stuff. Impressive.

But the Yanks only run came on a HR by Jacoby Ellsbury (2) in the seventh as ex-Yankee Ivan Nova got the win and a bit of revenge.

My biggest gripe comes with poor baseball by the Yankees in the ninth inning.

With one out, Judge singled and Holliday walked. Torreyes hit what should have been a game-ending DP ball but the Pirates made an error that loaded the bases with one out.

Down 2-1. One out. A walk ties the game. Take a strike.

Instead, Aaron Hicks didn’t even take a strike or make the pitcher throw strikes. He swung at all three pitches and struck out.

Pete Kozma was forced to bat b/c the Yanks used up all their bench players. Kozma, who most likely will be released in a week when Didi Gregorius comes off the DL, is a good field, no hit player. He swung on a 2-0 pitch and grounded out to end the game. What is Kozma doing swinging at 2-0 instead of taking a strike and hoping for two more balls to force in the winning run?

I place some blame on Girardi. He should have given Kozma a take sign on 2-0. No way do you swing. Take a strike, maybe he will walk in the tying run.

Sometimes games are simply lost, and sometimes you lose because you aren’t playing heads-up baseball. Today, I feel the Yanks lost because they were not playing heads up baseball.

Would the pitcher have walked in a run? We’ll never know.But the Yanks didn’t give themselves a chance to find out.

As mentioned, I am impressed with Montgomery despite the loss.

But the Yanks need Bird to start hitting. He is at .104.

Also, Brett Gardner has to get it going. He is at .182. I know he was shopped around in the offseason, and I still feel he is trade bait if Frazier/Fowler or another OF gets it going in the minors.

But not only is Gardner at .182, but after 18 games, he has ZERO RBI. I know he is the leadoff hitter, but still, ZERO RBI.

Lastly, Kyle Higashioka needs to get his first MLB hit soon. He’s called good ballgames but hopefully he does not start pressing trying to get that first hit.

Hopefully he and Bird pick it up. This week in Boston would be a nice time to do so.

On the day the Yanks retired #46 for Andy Pettitte, the Yanks fell out of first place, and CC Sabathia left the game in the third inning with a knee injury.

CC went for an MRI, but appears headed to the DL. The Yanks’ plans for a six-man rotation down the stretch are in jeopardy. In any case, Michael Pineda’s return on Wednesday comes at the right time.

I was there with a brother and two nephews, as well as other members of the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club, as CC gave up a double to the second batter of the game and a 2-run HR to the fourth. Right away the Yanks were down 2-0.

In the third, Ellsbury singled, stole second and Gardner walked. After a flyout that moved Ellsbury up, Gardner stole second. A throwing error by the catcher enabled Ellsbury to score and cut the lead to 2-1.

But the Yanks’ bats were cold on Sunday, striking out eleven times, and Yankees’ pitchers were walking too many batters (ten for the game). A bases-loaded walk in the fifth made it 3-1 Cleveland.

Meanwhile the Yanks got just five hits in the game—1/2 the total of walks Cleveland received.

Carlos Beltran’s 2-run bloop double to left tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, but in the top of the eighth Dellin Betances gave up a HR and Cleveland won 4-3.

With the loss, the 68-55 Yanks dropped out of first place. They are 1/2 a game behind Toronto.